Just five weeks after becoming the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in nearly 25 years, Oleksandr Usyk has given up one of his belts. Usyk defeated Tyson Fury on a split decision on May 18, adding the WBC title to his WBA, WBO, and IBF collection.
However, the Ukrainian has announced that he has vacated his IBF belt, which could now be up for grabs in the anticipated bout between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois. Dubois, the IBF’s mandatory challenger, is expected to fight fellow Briton Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21. “Anthony and Daniel, I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you on 21 September,” Usyk said in a video message posted on X.
Usyk had requested that his IBF belt not be stripped so the undisputed title could remain on the line for his rematch with Fury on December 21. However, according to its rules, the IBF had to strip Usyk if he did not fight their mandatory challenger next. Britain’s Lennox Lewis was the last undisputed heavyweight champion prior to Usyk in 1999, though that was in the three-belt era before the WBO title was officially recognized in 2007.
This decision opens the door for a significant clash between Joshua and Dubois, adding further excitement to the heavyweight division. Usyk’s focus will now be on retaining his remaining belts as he prepares for the highly anticipated rematch against Fury later this year.
